81. Stunned Silence

[Sinclair]

I couldn't help but start laughing after Azeneth's response, as it was so unexpected yet hilarious; laugher was the only response I could have. *'The jury is still out? She is most assuredly the daughter of Bastet and Lucifer.'* I thought as I tried and failed to stop laughing, as the longer I thought about it, the more entertaining it got. After a few moments of stunned silence from the rest of the table, as they weren't sure how Rafferty would respond to it, they couldn't stop themselves from laughing as well.

"Jeez, it wasn't that funny," Azeneth mumbled with a roll of her eyes and a sigh. *'They are quickly coming into their teenage years, so we shouldn't be surprised that they are indeed acting like teenagers.'* I thought as I stood and walked around the counter, pulling carrots out of the refrigerator to start making dinner.

"Aye, it wasn't funny, but it was so unfunny that it became funny," Maeve said as she stood to help me, giving me a quick peck on the cheek before taking the knife from me to finish chopping the carrots while I got some potatoes out next.

"Can you at least tell us why we can't have one of your feathers? It's only one, and you have hundreds." Ciaran asked Rafferty curiously.

"They are mere feathers to you, while they are my power and my protection to me. An angel's wings are more important to them than their hands and feet are. Every single part of my wing is important. The bones, the feathers, and the wings themselves are a part of me that I would no sooner give away than I would the eyes out of my head. You're more likely to talk me into chopping off my limbs and giving them to you, rather than one of my feathers."

"Is that so?" Ciaran mumbled, looking at Rafferty curiously for a few moments before a coy grin teased at his lips. He said nothing more but looked over at Azeneth, the two of them seemingly sharing a conversation in their heads before nodding their agreement to each other and running out of the room.

"Those two," Damien said as he closed his eyes and shook his head, taking a deep breath before opening his electric blue eyes and turning to look at Rafferty. "I'm guessing that Ismenia is the one you marked, at that is how you knew it was her? She would know that you're still alive if she has your crest, wouldn't she?"

"She would, yes, but I've been in a state between life and death since I fell. The only way to know for sure would be to send a fae, who knew of my life, to see if she returned."

"Why is it so bad that people know about your existence?" Bast asked.

"I wish I could say that I do not believe this is possible, but it is entirely plausible that there could be someone who still walks this earth, that knows that there was a fallen trapped in it. It could be by stories passed down or very prolonged life, but if they know of me, they know that one of my kind would have had to free me. If people know that there are not one but two fallen angels on this earth, I can guarantee that scores of demons would try to hunt us down."

"You killed Leena so that people didn't know about you and Maeve. So that must mean that you think it is possible that they could find a way to kill you?" I asked him as I pulled a casserole pan out of the cabinet, setting it between Maeve and me so we could toss the vegetables into it.

"It does not matter if they can kill us or not; they could trap us. If we were to be strapped against a flat surface and held down with enough force, in three specific key spots, we could not use even our wings to escape. Because of our inability to die, we could be turned into living fountains of youth and invincibility." Rafferty said, motioning an area across his rib cage, then pointing to two spots on his shoulders, telling us precisely where to pin an angel, to trap them.

"You just explained to us exactly how to trap an angel. Why would you do that?" Sam asked him with a scoff of amusement.

"Now you know a way of trapping me, which I believe should help ease the troubles you are having, seeing as how I cannot stray far from your group. I understand completely why you are hesitant to trust and believe me, so I gave you something that no other should have."

"Or you're telling us to ease our worries to get us to trust you before you kill us all?" Samantha offered with a shrug, cocking her head to the side as Rafferty began laughing heartily.

"If I were to so much as consider hurting a single one of you, Maeve would kill me. She may not know how to yet, but I have the feeling that she will quickly figure it out, should I give her enough reason to."

"You've already said that you're stronger than me, and you can make me do whatever you wanted, so that whole thing is null and void," Maeve responded with a shake of her head, looking over her shoulder at me as I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her back against me, then rested my forehead on the top of her head.

"I did not indicate physically stronger; I meant mentally. You have a border in your head much stronger than the others, with the power scent of the twins, so I assumed that border was their doing to keep me out of your head. The fact that I can use your connection to build my own, I thought that would be enough to make you realize that I've already overpowered the one border strong enough to hold me back. So, yes, I am stronger than you mentally, which means if I push further into your mind, I could subject you to being a captive of my wishes." Rafferty explained, then raised an eyebrow when he saw the way Maeve was gawking in horror.

"I- Why did you feel the need to say that out loud? I know that you don't mean anything by it, as you're just a straightforward and honest man, but you didn't need to tell me that."

"As you said. I am only being honest, and I spoke in factual truth, with no intentions of scaring you. Mentally, I know I am stronger than you, but I cannot say the same physically. Even if I were not in a weakened state, I believe you could still overpower me, even without your wings. You are in peak physical condition, and you have an aura of power around you that I simply cannot discount."

"So you're saying that because I am in good physical condition that you won't do anything to hurt me?" Maeve asked hesitantly, then shook her head in disbelief before turning her attention back to prepping the chicken on the counter.

"That's not what I mean at all. I have no intentions of hurting you, whether you are stronger or weaker than me. If I had the choice to leave, I would not still be here."

"Although this may not be the best time to bring it up, Sinclair and I have something we need to tell the rest of the group," Alaric said after a few moments of silence, taking Mercy's hand and his and kissing the back of it softly.

"I do not believe there will ever be a good time to bring this up. What we heard was hard to comprehend, and it will be much harder to speak aloud." I responded as I looked up at the group letting out a small sigh as I put the casserole pan in the oven and took Maeve's hand, leading her to sit back at the table next to me.

"We heard a conversation between Edward and Nancy, one that raises more questions than it answered, but I believe it's something we will need to discuss before Mercy and I leave."

"Okay, don't hold back, just come out with it all at once, and we can deal with what we hear afterward." Mercy said after taking a long and drawn out sigh, crossing her arms over her chest as she waited with a reluctant nod.

"Very well, then. We heard that Nancy is not your adopted mother but your biological mother. Because she pursued power, she is the reason that the elementals died out. Edward said that he killed his family, friends, and subjects to keep her alive after figuring out how to turn her from a recreant to a human. Nancy is your real mother, and while you know that Edward is your father, It appears as though they've known each other for centuries." Alaric said, not pausing for a single moment while he spoke, but kept a very close eye on Mercy as he did so.

"Okay, well, I don't really know what to say to any of that. But to be entirely honest with you, I don't want anything more to do with the two of them." Mercy said after a few moments of thought, shaking her head as she looked back-and-forth between Alaric and me.

"I'm sorry to ask this, but what would you like us to do with this information if there's nothing you are going to do about it?" I asked after a few moments of thought, wincing softly when I heard my words, as they sounded much harsher than I meant them to.

“To be honest with you, I don't really know, and I don't really care. I'm ready to move onto a new chapter in my life, and I can't do that if I'm always being sucked back into my past. As far as I'm concerned, Edward is taken care of, and Nancy is as good as dead if he ever gets out of that cage. If Damien wants to move them somewhere else, that's entirely up to him, and if he wants to inform me of that, then he can. But as for what to do with them right now and to do anything else other than moving them, I honestly don't care, and I'd rather keep it that way.” Mercy responded with a disinterested shrug, then chuckled softly as she looked around the table for a moment. "I must sound like a very horrible person for saying that."

“No, you don't, you sound like someone who's ready to do more with her life, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm very proud of you that you have this sort of a mindset about it, and so I will respect it and do as you wish." Alaric said with a smile as he rubbed Mercy’s back, kissing her on the temple before chuckling softly.

“Are you feeding them or letting them starve?” Mercy asked, looking past Alaric and to Damien, furrowing her brows in confusion, and just a small amount of worry that she tried to hide, but I could feel it radiating off her, despite her attempts hiding it.

“Yes, I have a guard giving her three meals a day and giving him one, which you did not make easy with those borders you put up,” Damien responded with a laugh of amusement.

“Yeah, I should make different ones. Before we leave.” Mercy agreed, then rolled her eyes. “Might as well talk to them about it while I’m at it. We could set up like a wire in the basement, so we can record everything they’re saying, without them knowing."

"I had thought of that, but I didn't want to suggest it. Since we are bringing up things, we've been waiting to ask or say," Sam commented, clearing his throat as he readjusted the way he was sitting, straightening his tie before saying anything more. "Since Samantha will be going with you, I wish to train her more before it's time, and I was going to ask Maeve and Sinclair to do it."

"Yeah, you two are the best fighters here, and you know basically every style there is. Sam told me that Alaric's going to be boots on the ground, rather than in the office and sending people out to do it. I don't want to be a hindrance." Samantha agreed with a smile, looking back and forth between Maeve and me, waiting for our responses.

"I'm not the teacher, Sammy; he is," Maeve responded with a shake of her head as she stood to check on the food, then began gathering plates and silverware to set the table.

"I've no issue with it, sure." I agreed with a smile before standing to help Maeve with the rest of dinner, using it to hide my budding annoyance. *'I shouldn't be annoyed. She's only asking us to teach her how to protect herself. Ever since Rafferty brought up Maeve and me traveling, I haven't been able to think about anything else. Well, that's not saying much. I don't want to think about anything else, either.'*

"You alright?" Maeve whispered as if nearly everyone in the house couldn't hear her clearly, no matter how quietly she spoke.

"Yes, of course," I responded with a nod, smiling softly to her as we served dinner, calling the kids down to eat. I went through the motions of eating but found myself entirely too lost in my thoughts to listen to or keep up with the conversations droning on around me. No matter how hard I tried, I could think of nothing more than Maeve and I going on our own. *'I haven't been on my own in decades, not freely in any way. As soon as I became a recreant, I was in hiding, then being trapped for decades beneath Lucifer's house. Come to think of it; I haven't had true freedom in nearly half of my time on this earth. Even since I was released from my imprisonment, I had almost no choice but to stay by their sides, as they were the only thing you knew in this new and terrible world that you were suddenly released into.'* I thought, then looked up at Maeve as I distinctly heard her call my name.

"Sinclair, you alright, love?" Maeve asked, her blue-green eyes searching mine as she watched me curiously.

"Yes, only thinking," I responded with a smile, looking around the table to find that I'd been stuck in my thoughts much longer than I'd thought I had, as nearly everyone had finished eating and were ready to separate to end their nights.

"Damien offered to give you your home back, and they'll sleep in one of the other cabins."

"I rather prefer the cabin to this house, if I'm to be honest. If you're leaving in the morning, you may as well spend this last night in the same beds." I responded absentmindedly with a nod before standing to carry my plate to the sink. *'I must have been paying more attention than I thought I had, as I knew they were talking about leaving in the morning.'*

"Very well, we will be saying our good-nights soon, as it is getting late," Damien said, clearing his throat as he stood, motioning for the twins to clean their places.

"Sinclair, would it be alright if I checked a few books out of your library for the night?" Rafferty asked as he watched Maeve loading the dishwasher curiously, then looked up at me.

"I do not mind it, no. Will you not be resting as well?"

"I've been asleep far too long," Rafferty responded with a shake of his head before walking out of the kitchen and into the library, where I could hear him browsing through the shelves.

"Fair enough," I chuckled, watching as Maeve dried off her hands, then stood in the doorway to the kitchen, watching as our group began to disperse. She waited until Rafferty returned from the library carrying a stack of books, then started laughing when she saw it.

"Bloody hell, got an essay due?"

"Reading these books will be the best use of my time, as it will help me adjust to this new time. I imagine this is the reason Sinclair has such a vast library, yes?" Rafferty responded as we walked out of the house and made our way towards the cabin on the lake.

"Yes, it has certainly assisted me," I said with a nod, watching as Rafferty nodded to Maeve and me, then veered off to the right, sitting against the stump of a tree before setting the books down, picking the top book to begin reading.

"He is wasting no time, huh?" Maeve chuckled, then pulled her hand out of mine when I tried to take it, walking with me into the cabin, sitting on the couch to watch me as I began building a fire. "At least we have privacy, now that he's gathered up enough strength not to need to be so close."

"Yes, I was under the impression that he would need to be closer, but I am glad he doesn't," I responded as I walked into the kitchen to wash my hands before returning to the living room to sit next to Maeve, watching the fire crackle in silence for a long while. *'I have the feeling that this night will not go in my favor. All-day today, she's been acting as if I'd done something to her. First, she refuses to talk to me, and now she won't take my hand? What could I possibly have done to deserve this? Is this the second end to our relationship? Oh, god, please don't tell me that she's choosing now to break up with me?'*

"Are you going to be telling me what's had you so distant?" Maeve finally asked as she readjusted how she was sitting to take off her shoes, tossing them towards the door once she'd taken them off.

"I've just had a lot on my mind," I responded as I stood and grabbed her shoes, setting them off to the side rather than leaving them scattered about the living room. *'You ask why I am so distant, after the way you've been treating me? Not only that, but you purposely toss your shoes, knowing that I loathe clutter and would pick them up.'*

"No shite," She responded with a chuckle before crossing her arms over her chest, leaning back on the couch before looking up at me. "What have you been thinking about?"

"A lot of things, Maeve. What do you wish to do when Rafferty leaves? It seems as though Rafferty may regain his strength around the same time that Mercy, Alaric, and Samantha will be leaving to run this continent. I know that you haven't had the chance to go back home since we left, and things have been pretty erratic in your life since you decided to come with me."

"I don't know. I ran out of reasons as to why I needed time off of work, so it's not like I have a job to go to anymore. I used to be a planner, and you know this, but with how the last few weeks have panned out, I give up on trying to plan a fucking thing."

"Maeve..." I started to say but trailed off as I watched her, then went to sit next to her with a scoff. "I was going to remind you that you hadn't answered my question, but you know that already. You purposely avoided answering it."

"Aye, I know. Sinclair, I don't know how to answer your question, because I know it's not as simple as that. You asked me what I wanted to do, but I know damn well that there are about a dozen hidden questions behind that one." She responded before standing, trying to force out a smile before walking down the hallway and into the bedroom without another word.

"What are the dozen questions hidden in the one question I asked?" I asked her as I followed her into the bedroom, sitting down on the edge of the bed to take off my shoes, setting them off to the side before unbuttoning my vest.

"What about us? Are we back together? Are we staying together? Were you only with me for the time being to make being around this group easier? Are we back in a relationship? When you start living your life again, will I be in it? Is there a future for us?" Maeve rattled off, then threw her hands up in a show of defeat, crossing her arms over her chest as she stood in front of me, glaring at me as I unclasped my pocket watch from the vest, setting it on the dresser.

"I honestly was only asking you what you wished to do when Rafferty leaves. None of those questions were hidden in the one I did ask, but now that you've brought them up, yes, I would like an answer to those as well."

"Of course," Maeve snorted under her breath, rolling her eyes as if she didn't expect me to notice. "I don't know, Sinclair. You know how I feel about you, just as well as I do. Those feelings were skewed and distorted in the last few weeks, now that I've spent time with your friends and I've seen the kind of man you really are."

"The kind of man I really am, huh? I never lied to you about the man I am, Maeve. I have been straightforward and honest with you since the day I met you." I responded through gritted teeth, keeping my eyes trained on the bedroom door, as I didn't want to chance what I might have done if I were looking into her eyes instead. "You've made it abundantly clear that you believe you are above me, now that you know who and what you are."

"I do not- Oi, look at me!" Maeve growled as she got on her knees between my legs, putting her hands on either side of my face, forcing me to look at her. "I do not think you're beneath me, and I don't think I'm above you. I know, I've been acting a chancer the last few hours, and I'm sorry. You aren't the only one with shite on your mind, Sinclair."

"My point is, Maeve, I tell you what I am thinking about. I have been waiting for you to tell me what's wrong and what's going on in that head of yours, but you have yet to tell me." I said, then sighed as I moved back on the bed to pull myself out of her grasp and stood, shaking my head as I stared at the wall above her head, doing everything I could to keep down the growl I felt crawling from my depths. I took a few long and drawn out deep breaths, calming myself down before I looked down into her eyes and spoke in a quiet and relaxed tone. "I think I have the right to know why you've been acting differently in these last few hours."

"How in the bloody hell do you expect me to tell you what's wrong when I can't even figure the shite out for myself?" Maeve laughed spitefully in response as she watched me, taking a long breath before saying anything more. "You know what I realized, that I probably should have realized before?"

"How would I know that, Maeve? It's not as if-"

"Shut up, Sinclair, please. You've been bitching at me to talk to you all day with the way you've been watching me, and when I finally try to, you won't shut the fuck up long enough for me to get a fucking word in edgewise!" Maeve responded, cutting me off before I had the chance to finish what I was saying, then sighed as she took a deep breath. "I didn't mean to yell. I'm sorry. What I was saying is, I realized that every time we have sex, I'm turning you human in one way or another. I know it's all fun and games for you, but as a human man, you can get me pregnant."

"Yes, it is a possibility, as it would be with any human man. Is this why you've been giving me the cold shoulder and acting two-faced?" I responded, immediately regretting the words the second they left my lips. *'Why the hell would you say that, Sinclair?'*

"Oh, acting two-faced, am I?"

"Don't play that innocence game with me, Maeve. This is why you've been acting this way towards me since last night? I could see that you were thinking about something that scared you, but I assumed that it was because of Rafferty and worried that he might crash the wedding. Since then, you act as if everything is fine when we are around the rest of the group, but the moment we are alone, I get nothing but the cold-shoulder from you. And it only got worse after we freed Rafferty."

"Innocence game, aye? Perhaps you should stop assuming shite, Sinclair. I have every right to be worried and upset and anything else that comes my way. Are you forgetting about those twins and how they were made? What the absolute fuck would our child be like? Seriously, Sinclair, stop and think about it for a second. I'm an anodyne, and you're a recreant."

"This is why you've been acting as if you're above me? Giving me the cold shoulder? Refusing to talk to me? Because you're scared about a child that doesn't exist?" I responded, then laughed as I shook my head and walked out of the bedroom, as I couldn't stand to be in such a small space, especially with how upset I was.

"Could you stop being an ass for, like, two seconds, Sinclair?" Maeve called from the bedroom, knowing that I'd be able to hear her, even if I didn't want to.

"I am not the one being an ass, Maeve. You do realize that it would not be only your responsibility, correct? If we had a child, it would be our child, not only yours." I said as I walked back into the bedroom, crossing my arms over my chest as I watched her pacing back and forth.

"Easy for you to say, seeing as how you aren't the one who has to carry it. What if I die while I'm pregnant, and the baby dies? I'm willing to bet that you'd never forgive me, would you? No, shut it!" She growled as I was starting to respond, her eyes now a bright shade of purple as she glared at me. "There are hundreds of reasons I can list as to why a kid is a bad fucking idea. How many can you list as pros? Maybe three?"

"There will always be reasons as to why we shouldn't do things, whereas there may only be one reason as to why we should. I don't give a fuck about any of the reasons why not, Maeve. If I cared about what I should and shouldn't do in life, I would have died centuries ago. The question still remains, however, why are you acting like this about something that doesn't exist?"

"Who says it doesn't exist?"

"Wait, what do you mean? I would know if you were pregnant, Maeve."

"No, clearly you wouldn't. Because I am pregnant, and you didn't have a fucking clue about it."

"I- Oh my god- What- Maeve?" I gasped, my eyes going wide in shock as I watched her, unable to find the words to speak, no matter how hard I tried. "You're? When? How do you know? When did you find out? Why the hell is the first time I'm hearing about it now?"

"After I found Raffey, I could feel it. I thought I was crazy or imagining things at first, but something about getting close to his power, when it took over me, I felt this overwhelming need to protect something. At first, I didn't realize what I felt like I needed to protect, but it kept happening anytime I got scared or upset. When I took Raffey to get a pair of pants, he asked me if the child was yours."

"Rafferty knew?" I asked, then gasped with a nod when many things suddenly snapped into focus, making them make sense. "That's why he was acting that way towards me. He knew that I got you pregnant, and as the man who made you, he feels like a father figure over you. I was curious as to why he seemed to be so protective over you and why he was so adamant about not wanting you."

"Of course I tell you I'm pregnant, and the first thing you mention is Rafferty and your little pissing contest," Maeve responded as she stood, her hand going to her belly as she stared off into the distance for a long few moments, sighing as a single tear trickled down her cheek.

"Maeve, I know you're worried, and you have every right to be. A child made from an anodyne and a recreant is a lot to try and take in. I'm sorry about the way I reacted to your distance. I should have tried to be more understanding. I know this." I said as I stood and pulled her into my arms, kissing the top of her head with a smile. *'I can't believe it. Am I going to be a dad again? That's why he was acting that way towards me since the moment he met me. He knew that Maeve was pregnant, and seeing as how I am a demon, and he couldn't comprehend our relationship. I should have realized that he was only acting as a protective father of sorts, a very mighty one. I wonder, what power will our child have? Will it be born with golden eyes, as Mercy was? Or, as the child of an anodyne, would it's angelic nature override its demonic nature? I can't believe I'm going to be a father again! I thought once I was turned that I would never have another chance at a family, but now I have got a family who I would lay down my life to protect, and a child on the way.'*

"Sinclair, there are a lot of things that we don't know the answer to, about this." Maeve suddenly said, pulling my attention out of my thoughts and back to her.

"We will figure it out, Maeve. I understand why you're worried and upset. Honestly, I do." I said as I sat on the edge of the bed, holding my hand out to her. I growled softly when she started to refuse, then pulled her to me, taking her face between my hands before kissing her forehead. "You're focusing on all of the bad ifs and not the good ifs."

"Name one good if that outweighs the bad, Sinclair, I dare you. You know, there's only one thing that's made me feel better all day, and that was when Rafferty said that a recreant is an evolution of a vampire. That made me think that maybe, just maybe, there's a chance that it wouldn't be a demonic little shite even worse than those twins." Maeve responded as she tried to pull herself out of my grasp, but to no avail, as I wouldn't allow her to.

"It is our child, and we will love it wholeheartedly, as will our makeshift family. As is the same for the twins, our child will have the vampire, recreant, and mimic armies standing behind, even before he or she is born." I retorted as I pulled her against me, laying back on the bed so that she was sitting on top of me, crossing my arms behind my head as I gazed up into her eyes.

"That's not an if, Sinclair, that's a fact- Oh, I see what you did there." She sighed softly with a smile, shaking her head as she put her hands on either side of my head and leaned down on top of me, bringing our faces so that they were only inches apart.

"Precisely. Every bad thing you can think of is nothing more than a thought, whereas the child's protection and love is a fact. I believe that one fact far outweighs any if you can think of." I responded with a grin before putting a hand on her back, pulling her against me to bring our lips together.

"You're an ass. You know that?" She laughed against my lips as I rolled, pinning her underneath me, pulling her leg over my hip as I explored her tongue with mine, taking her face with my free hand, holding her throat to keep her still before kissing and nibbling at her neck and shoulder.

"And you have a nice one," I responded with a chuckle as I brought my lips back to hers, groaning as she took my lower lip and bit down, causing me to tighten my hand around her throat as an inevitable response to the pain. I hadn't meant to tighten my hand around her throat, and although I knew I hadn't squeezed tight enough to harm her in any way, I still found myself gasping out in shock. When I saw the look in her eyes, now a bright and stunning shade of blue, I knew she hadn't minded it in the slightest and had quite the opposite effect I'd thought it would. *'This is new, and I'd very much like to explore this, but would it be safe?'* I thought, then watched Maeve as she started giggling, shaking her head as she looked up at me curiously.

"I can turn you human," She reminded me in a whisper, smiling when she saw my response. *'I suppose we don't have to worry about her getting pregnant anymore. Not like it was a worry that either of us had prior, to begin with.'*

***Hey, Everyone! I just wanted to let everyone know that I have made a website where all of my books; past, current, and future are available. The website is www.keykirita.com, and I hope to see you there! If you haven't already, don't forget to join my Facebook group where you can interact with other readers.***